The 2,940-acre fire is now 95% contained. Today, crews made good progress on line construction on the west end of the fire and mopping up hot spots along the perimeter. High winds caused some flare ups of unburned fuels in the interior of the fire so increased smoke was visible in places.

Tomorrow, crews will continue to patrol and mop up along the perimeter and continue other suppression activities. Demobilization of unneeded resources will continue. Beginning April 11th, this information center will no longer be staffed and this information line will provide recorded updates only. We will continue to update InciWeb and the Larimer County Emergency Information website.

For post-evacuation support call 211, or 866-485-0211. The 211 lines are staffed 24/7. For emergencies, call 911 or Larimer County Sheriff Dispatch at 970-416-1985.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire officials have revised the total number of homes lost from 15 down to 13.

Road blocks have been lifted but the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office strongly discourages travel in the area by recreationists and sight-seers. Unnecessary traffic can interfere with the firefighting effort and create safety issues.

Fire restrictions adopted by the Larimer County Commissioners and the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests on April 5 remain in effect. Please check the Larimer County and Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests’ websites for information on those restrictions.

Fort Collins, CO – Fire Crews made good progress on the Crystal Fire yesterday and completed a 10 acre burnout operation to secure the northwest portion of fireline. Air resources supported crews on an as-needed basis and mainly transported supplies to the line. The fire is now 2940 acres and 90 percent contained. Fire crews will continue to work towards full containment.

“The Crystal Fire has been an excellent example of interagency cooperation,” said Incident Commander Paul Summerfelt. “Much of the progress on this fire is owed to the dedication and hard work by the firefighters and local cooperators. We appreciate their efforts and the efforts of all those involved in fighting the Crystal Fire.”

A local Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team will begin mitigating the ecological impacts within the Crystal Fire burn area. These mitigations may include soil stabilization, control of water, sediment and debris movement.

Fire restrictions adopted by the Board of Larimer County Commissioners and within Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests on April 5 remain in place.

Quick Facts:

Fire Start Date: 04/01/2011

Cause: Under Investigation

Fire Size: 2940 acres

Contained: 90%

Total Personnel: Approximately 376.

Additional resources: 10 crews, 3 helicopters, 14 engines

Unit Identifiers/Agencies: 30

Cost: $2,417,000.00

Burned Residences: 13

10:00 a.m.: Larimer County Emergency Information Update

Fire size is 2,940 acres, with 90% containment. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire managers have revised the total number of homes lost down from 15 to 13. Yesterday, firefighters worked on completing line construction for perimeter control and completing a backburn operation to secure the north edge of the fire. Rain and snow on the fire last night provided some moisture to aid firefighters.

Today, crews will focus on completing a small section of line near the west end of the fire and will continuing to mop up hot spots along the perimeter. Helicopters will begin hauling equipment off the line and will be available for other tasks as needed. Demobilization of unneeded resources will begin today.

All road blocks have been lifted but the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office strongly discourages travel in the area by recreationists and spectators. There are still large numbers of emergency vehicles on the roads and the overnight precipitation may have made some area roads slick. Unnecessary traffic can interfere with the firefighting effort and create safety issues.

Fire restrictions adopted by the Board of Larimer County Commissioners and within Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests on April 5 remain in effect. Check Larimer County’s and the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests websites for information on restrictions.